Masiki Sosan & Anor v Uganda (Criminal Appeal No. 7 of 2002) [2004] UGCA 18 (2 August 2004)

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\par }}{\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta )}} {\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8 \pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \s15\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \b\fs28\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA \par }\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \fs20\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF UGANDA AT KAMPALA \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par CORAM:\tab HON. MR. JUSTICE G. M. OKELLO, JA. \par \tab \tab HON. MR. JUSTICE A. TWINOMUJUNI, JA. \par \tab \tab HON. LADY JUSTICE C. N. B. KITUMBA, JA. \par \par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \b\fs28\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 7 OF 2002 \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \fs20\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1.\tab}}\pard \ql \fi-570\li570\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx570{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin570\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 MASIKI SOSAN \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 2.\tab}}\pard \ql \fi-570\li570\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx570{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin570\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 NUME CHARLES ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: APPELLANTS \par }\pard\plain \s1\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \b\fs28\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Versus \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \fs20\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 UGANDA:}{ \b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}{\b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 : RESPONDENT}{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 [An appeal from the juddgment of the High Court of \par Uganda sitting at Jinja (Bamwine, J.) dated 21-2-2002 \par in Criminal Case No. 59 of 2001}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 ] \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par \par }{\b\fs24\ul\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT:}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Masiki Sosan and Nume Charles, in this judgment referred to as the first and the second appellants respectively and together as the appellants, were jointly indicted with two others for murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act. The appellants\rquote co-accused }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 was}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 acquitted but the appellants were convicted as charged and sentenced to death. \par \par The prosecution case as accepted by the learned trial judge was that }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 one Kasaga}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Vincent, the victim of the murder, }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 was a}{ \fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 brother of the first appellant. Before the murder both of them lived at Kananage village, Buyindo zone in Kamuli District. The deceased had no wife and lived alone in his house. The wife and the son of the first appellant died in succession. The dec eased was suspected to have caused their deaths by witchcraft. The first appellant and his son, who was the second accused at the trial, hatched a plan to kill the deceased. They sought for the services of the second appellant to execute their plan. Ac cording to the testimony of Kolostiko Nabaiga, PW1, whenever the first appellant went out drinking he would utter threats that he would kill Kasage. \par \par On the 29}{\fs24\super\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 th}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 March 1999 the body of the deceased was found in his house by a wife of the late Byansi Yakonia . She made an alarm which was answered by many people including PW1. A report was made to Kamuli Police Station. On the following day the police came and took the body to Kamuli Mission hospital for post mortem examination. The autopsy was performed b y Dr. Nyalia James, PW6. He found deep cut wounds on the left parieto region of the head and bruises on both sides of the neck. He was of the opinion that the cause of death was either subdural haemorrhage due to the }{ \fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 penetrating wounds}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 on the head or asphyxia due to strangling. \par \par The police arrested the first appellant at the home of the deceased on 31/3/1999 as they were preparing for the funeral. The arrest was based on suspicion because of the previous threats to kill the deceased. The second appell ant was arrested on 6/4/1999. His arrest was also based on suspicion. He was found with a blood stained T-shirt by Musere James, PW4. The blood stains on the T-shirt were confirmed by the Government Chemist\rquote s report to be of group O which was the same b lood group as that of the deceased. A charge and caution statement by the second appellant, which was recorded by D/AIP Osera Sharphan, Pw2, was admitted in evidence as exhibit P1. The second appellant confessed to having participated in the commission of the offence. He also implicated the first appellant as one of the people who had hired him to kill the deceased. The confession statement was admitted in evidence without holding a trial within a trial to determine its admissibility. \par \par In their defences both appellants denied the offence and put up a defence of alibi. The first appellant stated that on the day the deceased was murdered he was away from home. He was called to return home after the death of the deceased. The second appellant stated tha t on the 29/3/1999 he was at home the whole day. He did not know any of his co-accused. \par \par The learned trial judge believed the prosecution case, rejected the appellants\rquote defences, convicted them and sentenced them to death. \par \par Dissatisfied with the learned trial judge\rquote s decision, they have appealed to this court. The joint memorandum of appeal contains the following grounds: - \par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \'93}{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 The learned trial judge erred in law and fact when he admitted in evidence the charge and caution statement of the second appellant. \par \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1.\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1440{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls2\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 The learned trial judge erred in law and fact when he took into account the second appellant\rquote s confession to convict the first appellant. \par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar{\*\pn \pnlvlcont\ilvl0\ls0\pnrnot0\pndec }\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 2.\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1440{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls2\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 The learned trial judge misdirected himself and came to the }{ \b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 wrong; conclusion}{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 in his consideration of previous threats by the first appellant and a finding existence of common intention between the two appellants. \par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar{\*\pn \pnlvlcont\ilvl0\ls0\pnrnot0\pndec }\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 3.\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1440{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls2\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 The learned trial judge erred in law and in fact when he relied on the exhibits, whose source was questionable, to convict the second appellant. \par {\pntext\pard\plain\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 4.\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1440{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls2\pnrnot0 \pndec\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 The learne d trial judge erred in law and in fact when he relied on very weak and discredited circumstantial evidence to convict the second appellant.\'94 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par Mr. Stephen Mubiru, learned counsel for the appellant, submitted on grounds 1 and 2 together and on the rest of the grounds separately. We shall handle the grounds following the same order. \par \par Submitting on grounds 1 and 2, learned counsel submitted that the confession by the second appellant, exhibit P1, was the principal piece of evidence against both appellants and the learned trial judge misdirected himself and the assessors with regard to it in the following instances. \par \par Firstly, he admitted it in evidence without holding a trial within a trial, inspite of the fact that counsel for the appellants objected to its admissibility. Secondly, the confession was recorded by PW2 who was an investigating officer and by that reason it should not have not been admitted in evidence. Thirdly, the learned trial judge relied on it to convict both appellants. Fourthly, he misdi rected the assessors that they were entitled to attach no weight to it. In counsel\rquote s view, the proper direction to the assessors would have been that they should not at all consider the second appellant\rquote s confession. \par \par In reply, Mr. Wilfred }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 Murumba}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 learned Principal State Attorney, who represented the respondent, at first submitted that the learned trial judge admitted the confession statement in evidence because counsel for the appellants did not object to its admissibility in good time. Later on he }{ \fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 conceded that}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 the confession was not properly admitted in evidence. He informed court that without the confession the conviction of both appellants cannot stand. He stated that he offered no further submissions on the appeal. \par \par This is a first appellate court. It is, therefore, our duty to consider and re-evaluate the evidence as a whole and come to our own conclusion. See }{\b\fs24\ul\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Moses Bogere and Another v }{ \b\fs24\ul\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 Uganda}{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 Supreme}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Court Criminal Appeal No. 1 of 1997 (unreported) and }{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 rule 29 of The Court of Appeal Rules Directions, 1996. \par }{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par In the instant appeal PW2 gave evidence at trial. He narrated the role he played as an investigating }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 officer.}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 He also stated that he recorded the confession from the second appellant and read out the statement in court. After }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 that the}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 p rosecuting State Attorney sought to tender it in evidence as an exhibit. At that juncture, counsel for the appellants objected to its admissibility on two grounds namely: - that the second appellant denied making the statement and that the officer who re corded it played a part in the investigation of the case. \par \par The State Attorney replied that the objection was raised belatedly, whereas counsel for the appellants had all the time known that the police officer who recorded a charge and caution statement was going to testify. He left the matter to court to decide. The learned trial judge ruled as thus: \par \par }\pard\plain \s21\qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6845573 \b\fs28\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \'93 In a case where an accused is presented by }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 senior}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 counsel, which I take Mr. Habakurama to be, the objection is not raised after the substance of the confession has been }{ \fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 read to}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 court and the assessors but before. Counsel does not wait until the statement has been read to court and then raise objections. As soon as the witness hinted that A3 made a statement admitting the offence}{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 , I}{ \fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 expected counsel to seek instructions from his client, if such instructions had not been given already, since the summary of evidence mentions reliance on the confession. The idea of a trial within a trial is to ensure that damaging material does not find itself on record unless

its acceptability has first been tested. Prejudicial material is difficult to erase from the mind of court and assessors and hence the need not to hear it unless it is opportune to do so. The prosecution and defence must assist court in this regard. Ha v ing said so, I would consider it unnecessary to conduct a trial within a trial when all that the prosecution should perhaps not have said about the accused is already on record. Defence counsel shall be at liberty to cross-examine the witness on the stat ement. For more reasons which I will detail in the judgment while assessing the weight to attach to the statement, the same shall be received in evidence whether its worth since in any event there is already a summary of it on record.\'94 \par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \fs20\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par The accused must get a fair trial as provided by article 28 (1}{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 ) of}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 the Constitution. The law is now settled that in a case where the accused pleads not guilty, he or she is entitled to a full trial of all the facts in issue. If incriminating or prejudicial evidence is te ndered and is not challenged by counsel, the court should not allow it in evidence without ascertaining from the accused person that he or she is aware of the consequences of the reception of such evidence. See }{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Kawooya Joseph v Uganda}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \endash Criminal Appeal NO. 50 of 1999 Supreme Court (unreported}{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 ) and Chandria}{\b\fs24\ul\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Omaria v Uganda}{ \fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Criminal Appeal No. 23 of 2000 Supreme Court (unreported). \par The learned trial judge had the duty before allowing PW2 to testify on the charge and caution statement to ascertain from both appellants whether they were aware of the consequences of receipt of such evidence. The record of appeal does not show that he did so. We are of the considered view that later on when their counsel objected to the admissibility of the confession, exhib i t P1, the learned trial judge should have held a trial within a trial. We believe it was not too late, as he appears to have thought. We appreciate the fact that the judge and the assessors had heard the evidence and that had done some harm. If the tr ial within trial had been held and resulted in a ruling that the second appellant\rquote s confession was inadmissible, the learned trial judge should have directed the assessors and himself to ignore it completely. The confession exhibit P1 was improperly admitted in evidence. \par \par With due respect to the learned trial judge, he misdirected himself when he relied on it to convict both appellants. We note that PW2 was an officer investigating the case. The confession recorded by the investigating officer is not ad missible in evidence. See }{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 No. RA 78064 CPC Wasswa and Ninsima v }{\b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 Uganda }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 Supreme}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Court Criminal Appeal No. 48 & 49 of 1999. He further misdirected the assessors when he said that they were entitled not to rely on the }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 confession.}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Grounds 1 and 2, therefor e, succeed. \par \par This disposes of the whole appeal. \par \par }\pard\plain \s16\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 \fs28\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 In the result we find the appeal by both appellants has merit. It is }{\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 accordingly allowed}{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 . \par \par The convictions of both appellants are quashed and the sentences are set aside. The appellants are to be set free forthwith unless they are otherwise lawfully held. \par \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Dated at Kampala this }{\b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 2}{\b\fs24\super\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 nd}{\b\fs24\insrsid6845573\charrsid6845573 day}{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 of August 2004. \par \par \par G. M. Okello \par JUSTICE OF APPEAL \par }{\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s16 \lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 A.\tab}}\pard \s16\qj \fi-360\li360\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx360{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls3\pnrnot0 \pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls3\adjustright\rin0\lin360\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 Twinomujuni \par }\pard \s16\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar{\*\pn \pnlvlcont\ilvl0\ls0\pnrnot0\pndec }\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 JUSTICE OF APPEAL \par \par \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s16 \lang2057\langfe1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 B.\tab}}\pard \s16\qj \fi-357\li357\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx360{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls3\pnrnot0 \pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120\pnhang {\pntxta .}}\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls3\adjustright\rin0\lin357\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 N. B. Kitumba \par }\pard \s16\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6845573 {\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 JUSTICE OF APPEAL}{\b\fs24\insrsid16670430\charrsid6845573 \par }}